if you are installing/replacing the bulbs yourself, be sure to not touch the bulb glass with your bare hands. The oils in your skin will stick to the bulb glass, heat it up when you turn it on, and will reduce bulb life. If you accidentally do touch it, be sure to clean it with isopropyl alcohol.

those double-round Euro replacements will do wonders not only for night illumination but also how your car looks during the daytime - you will notice how much more sophisticated they look compared with the stock sealed beam units. And you have a wide choice of bulbs to choose from.

i personally prefer Bosch. In one of my previous cars, I upgraded only the outer lamps (hi-lo, with H4 bulbs) and that was one of the best investments I've ever made.

i have a suggestion - i don't know if it will fit, but why don't you consider the ellipsoidal outer lamps that were used on previous 5-series and 3-series BMWs? Ellipsoidal lamps get their name from the ellipsoidal reflectors they use (vs paraboloid ones in ordinary units), which results in more efficient light usage (more light is captured by/reflected off an ellipsoid reflector than a paraboloid unit). These ellipsoid lamps have a small front lens (which makes some manufacturers call them projector lamps) through which the reflected light passes. This alone will change the look of your car into a more contemporary one (many new cars have ellipsoidal headlamps).

ever wonder why the headlights have such a profound effect on the look of your car? Because they are the "eyes" of the car, and the eyes are the windows to the soul ...